Files
awesome-copilot/plugins/noob-mode/README.md
Dan Velton a893b069d9 Add noob-mode skill and plugin (#857)
Noob Mode is a plain-English translation layer for non-technical Copilot
CLI users (PMs, business stakeholders, designers, and anyone new to the
command line). When activated, it translates every approval prompt, error
message, and technical output into clear, jargon-free English with
color-coded risk indicators.

Includes:
- Standalone skill (skills/noob-mode/) with SKILL.md and bundled
  glossary (100+ terms) and before/after examples
- Plugin (plugins/noob-mode/) for installation via
  copilot plugin install noob-mode@awesome-copilot

Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>
2026-03-03 10:31:40 +11:00

3.1 KiB

Noob Mode Plugin

Plain-English translation layer for non-technical Copilot CLI users. When activated, Copilot automatically translates every permission request, error message, and technical output into clear, jargon-free language with color-coded risk indicators.

Who Is This For?

Anyone who uses Copilot CLI but isn't a software developer:

  • Lawyers and legal professionals
  • Product managers and program managers
  • Business stakeholders and executives
  • Technical writers and content creators
  • Designers who work with code-adjacent tools
  • Anyone who's new to the command line

Installation

copilot plugin install noob-mode@awesome-copilot

What's Included

Commands (Slash Commands)

Command Description
/noob-mode:noob-mode Activate Noob Mode for the current session. Copilot will explain everything in plain English — every action, every permission request, and every result.

Bundled Assets

Asset Description
references/glossary.md 100+ technical terms defined in plain English, organized by category (Git, File System, Development, Web, Copilot CLI)
references/examples.md 15 before/after examples showing how Noob Mode transforms technical output into clear explanations

Features

Feature What it means for you
Approval Translation Every time Copilot asks permission, it explains WHAT it wants to do, WHY, how RISKY it is, and what happens if you say yes or no
Risk Indicators Color-coded risk levels (🟢 Low, 🟡 Moderate, 🔴 High, Critical) so you can instantly see if an action is safe
Jargon Detection Technical terms are automatically defined in plain English the first time they appear
Step-by-Step Plans Multi-step tasks start with a plain-English roadmap so you know what's coming
Output Translation Error messages and command results are translated into "here's what that means"
Completion Summaries After every task, you get a summary of what changed, what was created, and how to undo it
Decision Support When you need to choose between options, each one is explained with trade-offs and a recommendation

Example

Without Noob Mode:

Allow tool: bash with command "grep -r 'indemnification' ./contracts/"?
[y/n]

With Noob Mode:

📋 WHAT I'M ASKING TO DO:
I want to search all files in your "contracts" folder for the word "indemnification."

🎯 WHY:
You asked me to find every mention of indemnification across your contracts.

⚠️ RISK: 🔴 High (but safe in this case)
Running commands is generally high-risk, but this one only searches — it doesn't
change or delete anything.

✅ If you approve: I'll show you every file where "indemnification" appears.
❌ If you decline: I can read files one by one instead, but it'll take longer.

How to Turn Off

Say "turn off noob mode" in your conversation, and Copilot will return to its default communication style.

Source

This plugin is part of Awesome Copilot, a community-driven collection of GitHub Copilot extensions.

License

MIT